594 SELENIUM
Se
Total selenium, nitric/perchloric acid digestion/dissolution of sample and determination by vapor generation by inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy (ICP-AES).
Summary: This method is quantitative for selenium and is based on the wet oxidation of selenium bearing organic carbon and inorganic selenium compounds utilizing nitric, perchloric and sulfuric acids, reduction of selenate to selenite (IV), and determination by Vapor Generation Inductively-Coupled Plasma Emission Spectrometer (VG-ICP). The method has a detection limit of 0.05 to 0.10 ppm (sample dependant).
Sample amount required: The analysis requires 250 mg sample, but 3 g is requested to allow for quality control and for reporting on a 100% dry basis.
Tracy, M. L and Moeller, G. 1990. Continuous flow vapor generation for inductively coupled argon plasma spectrometric analysis. Part 1: Selenium. J. Assoc. Off. Anal. Chem. 73:404-410.